What Home Improvement Projects Should You Tackle Alone?

When it comes to home improvements, it can be very tempting to try to carry out projects on your own. After all, there’s a substantial DIY industry and the name is right there in the title – do it yourself.

However, while some home improvement projects may seem simple on the face of things, once you get into them they’re anything but. This is why it can be best to hire a tradesperson to do the work for you.

But how do you know which projects you can have a go at yourself, and which are best left to those with additional experience and expertise?

According to the Chicago Tribune, there are seven questions you should ask yourself before you search out your tool bag and get cracking.

Top of the list is to think about any risks that come with your particular project. Will you be handling potentially dangerous chemicals or substances? Could mistakes with the project lead to damage to your property? And could you hurt yourself or others in the process?

If you’ve answered yes to any of those questions, you might be best off calling in a professional. Jobs like fitting sash windows in Hertfordshire definitely fall into the category where you want someone with experience to do the work.

The next question you should ask yourself is how much you value your time, and whether you’d rather spend it doing something other than that home improvement project. You should also work out how much you could realistically save by doing it yourself – if the amount is minimal, you may as well get someone else to do it for you.

If you’re still thinking you’d like to have a go at your home improvement project, you need to be honest about your skill level, Angie Hicks, of Angie’s List, told the news provider. “It’s easy to get in over your head,” adding that, depending on what the project is, “if you screw up, you can do serious damage to your house”.

As well as assessing your own skills, you should also make sure you fully understand exactly what your DIY project involves. Watching an online video can be a good way to work out whether you’re up to the task.

This will also help you work out whether you’re going to need help. Again, if it looks like you’ll need another two people, do you have friends or family who can step in, and will they be happy to do so?

Finally, you need to look into whether you require any kind of planning permission for the project you intend to undertake. If yes, it’s more than likely of the scale where you’ll want professionals involved anyway.

Given that research published recently by Furniture Choice found that, on average, we spend £10,743 improving our homes in the first five years of us living in them, it’s no surprise that many of us are looking for ways to save a bit of money while revamping our abode.

But it’s important to think about the financial implications of a botched DIY project when you’re looking for ways to make savings to ensure you don’t regret going it alone.